Happy Together
by madelinesticks
Summary: Kotetsu doesn't know how to approach Bunny, despite having wanted the other man for a long time. Barnaby takes initiative, embarrassed though he is.


Kotetsu shifted in his seat, leaning back and watching the other Hero laugh at something Tony had said about Nathan. Judging by the fire-manipulator's indignant look, it had been something about the new, lime green nail polish he'd attempted sporting, though Tony obviously meant it in good nature.  
Boy, but Bunny was beautiful. Kotetsu watched him for a little while, pretending to concentrate on his drink and watching the other man in the glass that made up the mirrored wall of the back of the bar. The kid looked tired, his eyes rimmed a little with red, slightly dark circles beneath his eyes.  
What Kotetsu would give to take him home. Man, what he'd do. Lead Bunny home, hold one of those pretty little hands in his, press kisses to his cheek, to those pink lips. And Bunny was a nice guy, and he got so damn soft and sweet and childish when he was tired, and he'd give Kotetsu a little dazed look and a happy smile.  
But those little things, that intimacy, Kotetsu craved it. Kotetsu hadn't been in a relationship for so long. Sure, he'd fucked girls, fucked guys, but he'd never seen them again and damn it, the idea of being so close to Barnaby made his heart hurt. To be able to hold him close at night (he'd noticed Barnaby had a tendency towards shivering and cold when he'd fallen asleep at HQ), stroke through that well-cared-for, blond hair (if Barnaby let him, of course), push his glasses back up his nose when they fell down (and they often did, when the other was irritated or worked up)... How perfect would that be?  
Barnaby laughed again, his head tipping back, and he nearly fell. Tony caught him just as Kotetsu rocketed up to stand, and Bunny gave a sheepish little grin. "I, um, I think I should go home." He admitted. "I feel a lot of fatigue after today." Barnaby set his glass down carefully on the table, empty, and (grudgingly, though Kotetsu knew the reluctance was faked affectionately) allowed Nathan to kiss his cheek before he moved out of the room and began to make his way home.  
Kotetsu sighed. He had it bad.

Kotetsu knew that Bunny liked men. Not just men - he knew that he'd had flings with girls too, but the two were at a fairly even rate. He didn't seem to have much preference when he went on his dates, and yet the partners never seemed to last long, and they were all- well. They were all so damn young compared to Kotetsu.  
He was gorgeous, after all, everyone could see that, and he was smart, and he was just fabulous in every way. Of course he wanted to date people his age. Why would he want Kotetsu anyway? Oji-san. He was just an old man.  
He shook his head as he heard the band at his wrist give the alert. Best to put it out of his mind anyway.

Kotetsu was laughing as they made their way into the building. They'd stripped off the mechsuits already, leaving them in just the undersuits. Barnaby was laughing too, and Kotetsu patted him hard, affectionate, on the back. "That was awesome, Bunny!" He cheered, ecstatic.  
At least he got to spend time with Barnaby. He was in love with the guy, but at least he had some time with him. That was better than none at all.  
Barnaby stopped still, watching Kotetsu for a moment. He lingered a little in the entrance to HQ. "Bunny? You okay?" He looked wide-eyed, a little worried as he stood as if suspended in space for a few seconds. "Bun-" And then he rocketed forwards, grabbed Kotetsu and pulled him close, and the older man gave a soft, shocked sound against Barnaby's mouth as he leaned into the kiss.  
Barnaby pulled back after a few moments of their mouths together, breathing heavily with a heady flush to his cheeks and to his neck. "I'm- I'm so sorry!" The words tumbled out of Barnaby's mouth as he stumbled back a few feet, away from the other man. "I- I'm sorry, I know I'm just a kid, and I know it's- I know you still care about your wife and you don't even like me but I just wanted to kiss you. I'm so sorry, I promise, I'll never do it again!" Kotetsu stared at Barnaby, his heart thudding in his chest.  
He grabbed him by the shoulders, forcing Bunny to change his stare from down at the floor and to look up at Kotetsu's face, to look him in the eyes. "You know, Bunny, if you plan on keeping that promise, I don't think I'll ever be happy again." He saw the bob of Barnaby's Adam's apple as he swallowed, and Kotetsu offered him a comforting grin.  
"It's okay. Let me kiss you." Barnaby's mouth opened and closed a few times, but no words seemed to be coming from between his lips. He managed a nod, grabbing at Kotetsu's hips and pulling him a lot closer. Kotetsu chuckled quietly before he dipped and kissed the other man for the second time, and damn, was it worth the wait.  
Barnaby stayed at Kotetsu's apartment that night. It wasn't the first time he'd done so - Bunny used numerous excuses rather than the truth, but Kotetsu knew that it helped with nightmares to stay with someone else - but it was the first time Bunny had shared Kotetsu's bed.  
It wasn't anything like Kotetsu had imagined: it was so much better to finally hold him close. He hadn't imagined the fruity scent of Barnaby's shampoo, or the very slight, sweet snores he gave when he was asleep, or the way that he clung to Kotetsu in bed as if thinking subconsciously that he would slip away.  
He never imagined Bunny's sleepy mumbles, nor the sheer beauty of his smile in the light of the morning sun with his chin rested on Kotetsu's chest, or the way he would affectionately thumb over the short, well-groomed hair of his beard even as he claimed he hated the look of it in tired whispers.  
Barnaby had murmured to him on that first night that he'd wanted Kotetsu for ages, but had been convinced that Kotetsu couldn't possibly be interested in someone so young. He'd joked that he'd half thought Kotetsu would end up between Tony and Nathan, but Kotetsu wasn't sure he believed it. He wouldn't question the other man, of course.  
He just wanted Bunny happy. And it was so much better to be happy together.


End file.
